2 Nagas killed in suspected Kuki militant attack on Manipur village

Two Naga villagers lost their lives and two others sustained injuries following a suspected attack by Kuki militants in Langka village, a part of Kangpokpi district in Manipur on Friday morning. The Liangmai Naga Council (LNC) claimed that the incident could have been avoided if the authorities had heeded repeated security warnings from the community.

Langka village, also known as Niulong, is located along the Imphal–Tamenglong Road, around 65 km from Imphal. The attack occurred at around 7:30 am as the villagers were tending to their paddy fields. According to local sources, militants armed with advanced weapons unleashed indiscriminate fire on the villagers. Wiriliangbou Chawang, aged 35, was killed instantly, while Kawidinang Abonmai, 54, died from an abdominal injury en route to the hospital.

The victims identified as Namthiulungbou Prinmai, 45, and Maliangjinang Abonmai, 50, sustained injuries to their groin and chest and arms respectively. LNC president Timothy Wijunamai revealed that the militants had attempted to launch an attack on the village a month prior but were unsuccessful. Villagers had repeatedly urged authorities to deploy CRPF personnel in the region following the failed attempt, but their pleas went unheeded.

The LNC attributes the blame for the attack to KNF-P Kuki militants, although this claim cannot be independently verified. The LNC subsequently declared an Emergency Total Shutdown across all Liangmai Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur. Businesses and institutions were ordered to remain closed, with the exception of medical, fire, and essential services.

The council encouraged the community to remain calm and observe the shutdown peacefully, while urging authorities to take immediate action to ensure public safety and bring the perpetrators to justice. The attack has exacerbated security concerns in the Kangpokpi-Tamenglong border belt, where armed clashes between Naga communities and militants have occurred in the past.